Electric-metering system.



No. 654,498, Patented July 24, I900.

F. E. TOWN.

ELECTRIC METERING SYSTEM.

(Application filed Msy 11I 1909.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l,

No. 654,498. Patented July 24, I900.

F. E. Town.

ELECTRIC METERING SYSTEM (Application filed. May 11, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

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FFiQEQ FREDFRIC E. TOWN, OF GLENCARLYN, VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC-METERING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 654,498, dated July24, 1900. Application filed May 11, l900- Serial No- 16649. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC E. TOWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Glencarlyn, in the county of Alexandria and State ofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric-Metering Systems, of which the following is a specifi cation.

My present invention pertains to an improved electric-meterin g system,the arrange-' ment and advantages of which will be here inafter setforth, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, wherein- Figure l isa plan view showing the arrange ment of circuits and so much of a mainand auxiliary meter as is necessary to a proper illustration of theinvention; Fig. 2, a detail view of the contact making and breakingdevice; Fig. 3, aside elevation, partly in section, of a modified formof contact device; Fig. 4, a top plan view of the same; Fig. 5, a sideelevation of a modified form of appara tus used to actuate theauxiliary'or maximum load meter or registering device; Fig. 6, a topplan view of the same; Fig. 7, a diagrammatic view illustrating theapparatus used on an independent circuit; and Fig. 8, a similar Viewillustrating an arrangement of primary meters, together with certainauxiliary or secondary meters, for a purpose which will be hereinafterdescribed.

Manyattemptsmiore orlesssuccessfuhhave heretofore been made to provide asystem for properly and accurately registering the consum ption ofcurrent or energy during a stated interval of time-generall y duringthat period of the service known as the peak or height of theload. Toencourage the use of the current during that period when the load isusually low is the aim of most electric plants, and it is of coursedesirable to have a double metering or registering system to effect aregistration for both periods, so that a discount may be made for oneperiod and the maximum charge made for the other.

The main object of my present invention is to provide a simple andefficient means for bringing about this multiple or double registration,and although this is the primary ob ject,still the system has otheradvantages and uses, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth andexplained.

effects registration in the auxiliary registering mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, Adenotes a portion of the dial of any well-known and accepted type ofmeter included in the serviceline and constantly running when current isused, registering the total consumption. B is one of the gears thereof,and O the wormshaft meshing therewith, said shaft deriving its motionfrom the current-measuring devices, as is well understood.

Gear B carries an arm D, mounted in an insulated bushing, the arm bypreference be- .ing bent, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that its outer endwill be at a distance from the axis of the gear, this for the purpose ofmaking a quick make and break with the contact arms or brushes E and F,with which it comes into contact once for each revolution of said gear.Said contact-brushes are carried by an insulating block G or othersimilar support. Binding-posts are provided for these brushes, one beingconnected by a conductor H to one of the meter-terminals and the otherconnected to conductor I, which leads to an electromagnet J. Theopposite side of the magnet or winding thereof is in turn connected by awire K to a branch or control wire K, which may lead to any desiredpoint, such as the main station or a substation, where it is connectedto one pole of a switch L, the opposite pole being connected to a bus orfeeder. Other meters may be similarly connected to auxiliaryregisteringdevices, which in turn may be connected to,the control-wire K. From thisit will readily be seen that only one control-wire is necessary for theentire system. r

The electromagnet is preferably carried by a suitable support or plate Mof the auxiliary registering device, the dials of the device beingindicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1. The

main shaft of said auxiliary register has connected to it a star-wheelN, while pivoted to the plate M, to one side thereof, is a pallet 0,having connected to it or formed integral therewith an armature P.

By reason of the peculiar construction of the pallet as shown-that is,by making one arm longer than the other and properly proportioning theworking faces of its ends-said pallet may be made to actuate thestar-wheel step by step and to lock the same against overthrow, themagnet and armature serving to move it in one direction and spring Q inthe opposite direction as soon as the circuit is broken and the currentceases to flow.

Assuming that current is being used and it is desired to measure it fora stated period or interval of time, the attendant has simply to. closethe circuit by means of switch L, and

for each revolution of gear B there will takeplace an actuation of thepallet, and consequently thev star-wheel will be moved forward one step,causing a corresponding movement of the auxiliary registering device.When the period for which it was desired to secure the separate readinghas elapsed, it is only necessary toopen switch L. The main meter willcontinue to register, and there is of course secured a reading for thefixed interval, as well as-a reading for the total consumption.

In Figs. 3. and 4 there is illustrated a construction designed to takethe place of the arm: D It. consists simply of a disk R, of

woodor'other non-conductin g material, which may be secured upon theshaft. carrying the gear B and which has set in its periphery aa-.conducting-strip S, adapted to make contact with thebrushes Eand Fonce for eachv revolution of the shaft. It is obvious that manyformsandarrangements of such parts will suggest themselves whereby thesame.

result may be accomplished, and the two formsherein shown are to betaken simply as. illustrative.

It is manifest that the circuit-closing devicemay beattached to anymovable part of the main or service meter, and I desire to be understoodas not confining myself to the particular arrangement shown.

In Figs. 5 and 6 amodified form of actuating device for the auxiliaryregister is shown.v It comprises a solenoid T, included in the circuit,having its core connected. to one end of a pivoted lever U, said levercarryingat itsopposite end a pawl V, arranged toact inconjunction with aratchet-wheel W, corresponding to the star-wheel N in the auxiliarymeter-train. A detent X is employed to prevent return movement of theratchet-Wheel, and a spring Y is used to act upon thelever in oppositionto the solenoid. The action of this arrangement of parts is obvious.This, too, is merely illustrative of a different embodiment ofthispartof my invention over that shown in Fig. 1, and. it is apparentthat any suitableform of electric- 9 stages ally-actuated mechanism maybe employed for bringing aboutthe registrationin the auxiliary meter orregistering mechanism.

There is illustrated in Fig. 7 an arrangement of the system wherein acircuit independent of the feeder-circuit is used, the current beingsupplied by a battery or. If the battery is sufficiently strong, thecircuit may be grounded, or, as indicated by the dotted line b, may be acomplete metallic circuit. So, too, the circuit may be closed by meansof a clock-actuated switchc, placed in the line, instead of being closedmanually. It is manifest that the auxiliary registering device may belocated at any desired point, it being merely a question of running theline. Again the system may be employed for the purpose of ascertainingwhether or not the main meters are running properly. For instance, aseries of such auxiliary reg isters mightbe installed in a stationorsu'bestation and connected up with the various meters of theconsumers, when upon closing the control circuit the auxiliary registerswould be'operated, providing, of course, the current was being used.Under this arrangement. it is possible to determine the con-* sumptionof current or energy of any particular consumer without the necessity ofleaving the station, in which instance, of

course, the switch must be kept closed at all times. This may be ofadvantage in connection with substations Where. it will take only arelatively-short control-circuit to bring about the desired result.

In Fig. 8 there is illustrated a system.

wherein. a number of service-metersare connected to adouble series ofauxiliary meters located at a. suitable point, such as a substation,whereby the readingof each servicemeter may be secured both for theperiod covering the peak of the-load and also there,- mainder of theperiod or twenty-four hours in which the minimum charge is to be: made.

In this figure, 1, 2, 3', and 4 representa series of service-metersadapted: and designed to be. located on the premises ofthe consumer orcurrent-taker, said meters being connected through wires K to a seriesof double-throw switches 5,6, 7, and 8, one series of contacts 9, 10,11, and 1.2 of the switches being in cir-- cuit with a series ofauxiliary meters 13, 14, 15, and 16, while the other series ofswitchcontacts 17, 18, 19, and 20 are in circuit with a second series ofauxiliary meters orregistering devices 21, 22,23, and. 24,.eachregisterin turn being connected upon its opposite;

side tothe bus or feeder 25. From this it will be seen that theattendant at the main station or substation in which the auxiliarymeters are located may by throwing the switches bring either of theseries of auxiliary meters into. circuit, so that said auxiliary metersmay be caused to register for a predetermined: period, the currentpassing. through the service-meter. When said period has elapsed, theswitches are thrown over, so

as to bring them into contact with the other switch-terminals, therebythrowing in the other auxiliary meters and registering the current forthe balance of the day or period. For instance, if it be desired tomeasure the current passing through the service-meter 1 during theperiod of maximum load all that is necessary for the operator orattendant to do is to throw switch 5 so as to bring it in contact withswitch member or contact 9, thereby bringing the meter or auxiliaryregistering-meter 13 into circuit. When the period of maximum load haspassed,the operator reverses the switch, bringing it into contact withswitch contact or block 17, which will cause the meter 21 to beoperated, registering the consumption of current during the period ofminimum load. Thus it is with each of the meters 2, 3, and 4. It ismanifest that any mechanism or device may be em ployed whereby theseries of contacts between the meters 13, 14, 15, and 16 may be closedsimultaneously and automatically and after a stated period reversed, soas to bring the contacts 17, 18, 19, and 20 into circuit.

It will be seen that the invention is susceptible of many uses, of whicha few have been set forth, and it is not desired to limit the system toany particular adaptation, though it will be found especially applicableto the double metering system, as first pointed out.

The system may be employed in connection with direct and alternatingcurrents and with both at once if circuit is independently established,as in Fig. 7.

While the invention is primarily designed for use in connection withelectric meters, still it is obvious that the make-and-break mechanismmay be actuated by any form of meter or by measuring devices of otherclasses, such as gas-meters, water-meters, rotating shafts, and thelike.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationof a meter; an electric circuit; a make-and-break device for the circuitoperated by said meter; an electricallyactuated recording device in saidcircuit and means for closing and opening the circuit, whereby therecording device may be brought into or thrown out of operation, asdesired.

2. In an electricmetering system, the combination of a meter arranged tooperate and continuously record all the electric current or energyconsumed; a second registering de vice; a circuit in which said secondregistering device is included; a make-and-break device for said circuitoperated by the meter; and a switch for closing said circuit, whereby areading for the total consumption of current or energy may be had, and aseparate 1 erate and continuously record all of the electric current orenergy consumed; a series of independent registering devices, one foreach meter; a series of control-circuits in which said registeringdevices are included; makeand-break devices for said circuits operatedby the meters; and means for closing and openingsaidcircuits,andconsequently throwing the registering devices, into and out ofoperation, as desired.

at. In an electric-metering system, the combination of a series ofmeters arranged to operate and continuously record all the electriccurrent or energy consumed; two seriesof registering'devices; a seriesof control-circuits in which said registering devices are included;make-and-break devices for said circuits operated by the meters; andmeans for throwing one or the other of said series of registeringdevices into circuit, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In an electric'metering system, the combination of a meter arrangedto operate and continuously record all the electric current or energyconsumed; two independent registering devices; control-circuits in whichsaid registering devices are included; make-andbreak devices for saidcircuits operated by the meter; and'means for throwing one or the otherof said registering devices into circuit, substantially as and for thepurpose de scribed.

6. In combination with an electric meter arranged to operate andcontinuously record all the electric current or energy consumed; aregister; a circuit; a make-and-break device for said circuit operatedbya moving member of the meter; an electrically-operated device includedin the circuit for actuating the register; and a switch also included inthe circuit.

7. In combination with an electric meter arranged to operate andcontinuously record all the electric energy or current consumed; aregister; a circuit; a make-and-break de vice for said circuit operatedby a moving member of the meter; an electromagnet included in thecircuit; a pallet carryingan armature, said pallet being arranged to actupon and move a Wheel carried by the register; and a switch included inthe circuit.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERIO E. TOWN. \Vitnesses:

HORACE A. DODGE, J. B. MALNATI.

